Pond Selection for Catfish Farming

Pond selection play a very important role for maintaining a successful catfish farming business. Before selecting the pond for catfish farming, you have to consider the followings.

• The selected pond must have to be free from flood.
• Shore of the pond will be strong enough and free from all types of licks and hole.
• All fish will escape from the pond if there are any hole in the pond shore.
• Water depth will not be more than 4 feet during rainy season.
• It will be better if you construct oblong pond instead of squire pond.
• Construct the pond in an open area, so that the sunlight can directly incur.

  Minnow

  After completing all pond management tasks, stock high quality catfish minnow. Purchase 2 to 3 inch size minnow from the hatchery. There are many hatcheries available who are producing high quality, diseases free and highly productive catfish minnow. Apply anti fungus medicines in the pond, after 2 or 3 days of stocking minnow. This will help to keep the minnow free from all types of diseases.

  Feed Management

  Provide 20% of feed daily for the first 10 days, according to the body weight of stocked fish. Usually catfish minnow like to eat food at night. So serve their feed twice a day. Reduce the feed serving rate to 12 to 15 percent, after the first 10 days. Catfish start taking feed during day time when they reach about 3 inch size. After one months from stocking, provide them 5% of feed daily, according to their body weight. For measuring average weight of catfish, measure the total weight of 10 fish and divide the total weight by 10. For example, total weight of 10 catfish is 2 kg, divide the result by 10. Now the average weight of one catfish is 200 g. Measure average weight of catfish after a certain period and feed them according to their average body weight. Provide them feed twice daily (first in the morning and rest in the evening). Always provide adequate feed according to the age and body weight of the fish. If you provide the catfish less feed than their daily demand, then they will not live and grow properly. And if you serve excessive feed than their demand, then the extra food will pollute water and increase feeding costs.

  During Winter Season

  Winter season is not favorable for catfish farming. Various diseases affect the catfish during this season. So you have to take extra care during this season. Change water on a regular basis, usually after every 15 days. Apply anti fungus medicine after every one month. Keep water depth within 2 feet. If you notice excessive amount of ammonia gas, then you can use Ganonex medicine (a medicine, usually used for removing ammonia gas).